The invention relates to a disposable mask for a vehicle wheel. The mask covers substantially the entire outer surface area of the wheel, so that when a person is cleaning the associated tire any tire-cleaning compound is prevented from contact with the wheel outer surface area.
American Shield Systems of Salem, Oreg. markets a wheel shield that is designed to prevent tire cleaning compound from splattering onto a vehicle wheel during the process of cleaning the associated vehicle tire. The shield is apparently formed of ABS plastic material, to give the shield a relatively long service life.
Shield-A-Wheel of California advertises a wheel shield for the same purpose as the above-described wheel shield. The Shield-A-Wheel product is apparently a molded plastic disk structure having a stepped construction. The disk structure has a series of annular score lines graduated different radial distances from the disk center, whereby the user can cut along a selected score line to form a disk that fits a particular vehicle wheel diameter e.g. a thirteen inch, fourteen inch, fifteen inch, or sixteen inch wheel.
The present invention relates to a shield for a vehicle wheel, wherein the shield is formed of a relatively low cost material, such as paper or cardboard. The shield is preferably constructed as a flat disk devoid of flanges or special edges, whereby the disk can be economically formed by a simple blanking operation, using a low cost cutting die. The shield can be marketed as a low cost disposable mask that can be discarded after a single use, without requiring storage or preservation.
A principal aim of the invention is to provide a disposable mask (or shield) for a vehicle wheel, wherein the mask can be manufactured out of low cost materials, using low cost tooling.
Specific features of the invention will be apparent from the attached drawings and description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.